Monday, March 31, 2014

KNOWLEDGE OF GOD'S WORD


How much knowledge do you have about God’s Word?

It seems,after listening to a message on ‘God punishing the people of Sodom & Gomorrah’, a lady confessed: “I always thought that ‘Sodom’ & ‘Gomorrah’ were husband & wife.

Jesus said: “…The words I have spoken will be their judge on the last day! (Jh 12:48). It means, Bible will be the syllabus for the judgment. How can one fulfill the commands given in the Bible without knowing what it says?

Hence, it is required that everyone acquire as much knowledge as possible of the Word of God, as each one of us will be judged at the ‘Judgment seat of Christ” & this judgment is called ‘eternal judgment’ as the sentence pronounced can never be changed (Heb 6:2).

“Do your best to present yourself to God as an approved worker who has nothing to be ashamed of, handling the word of truth with precision.” (2 Tim 2:15).

“Study the Bible to be wise, believe it to be safe & practice it to be holy.”

“For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point is guilty of breaking all of it.” (Js 2:10).

Are you preparing for the judgment?

Saturday, March 29, 2014

PRAYER


1John 5:14 says: ‘And this is the confidence that we have in him: if we ask for anything according to his will, he listens to us.’


Many pray to God and expect an answer from Him. But the above verse says, He will answer our prayer if we pray according to His will.

If the request is wrong, God says, "No."
If the timing is wrong, God says, "Slow."
If you are wrong, God says, "Grow."
But if the request is right, the timing is right and you are right, God says, "Go!" - Bill Hybels.

“When people do not mind what God speaks to them in His Word, God doth as little mind what they say to Him in prayer.” - William Gurnall.

“When a Christian shuns fellowship with other Christians, the devil smiles. When he stops studying the Bible, the devil laughs. When he stops praying, the devil shouts for joy.” - Corrie Ten Boom.

Thursday, March 27, 2014

A hindrance to Prayer


Psalms 66:18 says: “If I had ignored my sins, the Lord would not have listened to me.” This verse clearly says that if we want our prayers to be heard by the Almighty God, then we cannot ignore our sins; we have to repent of our sins and confess them to obtain forgiveness.


But, what actually is sin?

SIN: Self Inflicted Nonsense / Self Induced Negativity.

This was how Susannah Wesley defined "sin" to her young son, John Wesley: "If you would judge of the lawfulness or the unlawfulness of pleasure, then take this simple rule: Whatever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God and takes off the relish of spiritual things - that to you is sin."

Pro 28:13 says: “You will never succeed in life if you try to hide your sins. Confess them and give them up; then God will show mercy to you.”

   

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

BELIEVE WHEN YOU PRAY...


A tale is told about a small town that had historically been “dry,” but then a local businessman decided to build a bar. A group of Christians from a local church were concerned and planned an all-night prayer meeting to ask God to intervene. It just so happened that shortly thereafter lightning struck the bar and it burned to the ground. The owner of the bar sued the church, claiming that the prayers of the congregation were responsible, but the church hired a lawyer to argue in court that they were not responsible. The presiding judge, after his initial review of the case, stated that “no matter how this case comes out, one thing is clear. The bar owner believes in prayer and the Christians do not.” - J. K. Johnston.


Jas 1:7 says: “A person who has doubts shouldn't expect to receive anything from the Lord.”

Jesus said: “All things are possible to him that believeth.” (Mark 9:23)

Monday, March 24, 2014

BIBLE


Mahatma Gandhi spoke forcefully to Christians when he said, "You Christians have in your keeping a document with enough dynamite in it to blow the whole of civilization to bits, to turn society upside down, to bring peace to this war-torn world. But you read it as if it were just good literature, and nothing else."

“The Devil is not afraid of the Bible that has dust on it.”

"The Bible is an antibiotic. If you get it in you it will expel the germs of sin. The more you get in, the more germs will have to get out.”

"I never saw a useful Christian who was not a student of the Bible." - Dwight L. Moody.

There are approximately 8,810 promises in the Bible; read and know what they are.

Sunday, March 23, 2014

HUMILITY


“It is a contradiction to be a true Christian and not humble.” - Richard Baxter.

“Be not proud of race, face, place, or grace.” - Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

“A man must be big enough to admit his mistakes, smart enough to profit from them, and strong enough to correct them.” - John C. Maxwell.

“Nothing sets a person so much out of the devil's reach as humility.” - Jonathan Edwards.

“God created the world out of nothing; so as long as we are nothing, he can make something out of us.” - Martin Luther.

“Obey the LORD, be humble, and you will get riches, honor, and a long life.” - Pro 22:4.

Our Response to Devil’s Strategy


Devil’s plan is to destroy our lives. He usually starts by flaming pride in a person by making him think too great about himself, so that God Himself would resist such a person, as James 4:6 says: God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

But if anyone still holds on to humility, the devil does his best to discourage that person; as per a saying: “If the devil can’t make you puffed-up by pride, he will try to dampen your spirit by discouragement.”

It seems, in a devil’s exhibition of weapons – like ‘hatred’, ‘envy’, ‘deceit’, ‘lust’; the most used weapon was ‘discouragement’. When a visitor asked the devil for the reason, he replied, “weapon of ‘discouragement’ works very easily on people.”

When encountering discouragement, don’t expect or wait for somebody to come & encourage you, encourage yourself, as Psalmist often did, by telling himself, “Why are you in despair, my soul? Why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God! For I shall still praise him: my Savior, my helper and my God.” (Psalms 42:5, 11 & 43:5).

Yes, when we keep resisting the devil that way, he will have to flee, as James 4:7 says: “…Resist the devil and he will flee from you.”

Thursday, March 20, 2014

CLEVERNESS


* A professional boxer was converted to Christ. He felt it was wrong to continue hitting people but only knew boxing as a profession. So he sought counsel of the deacons. One responded, "Don't see why you can't continue. Bible says that it's better to give than to receive.


* By the time John arrived, the football game had already started. “Why are you so late?” asked his friend. “I couldn’t decide between going to church and going to the football game. So I tossed a coin,” said John. “But that shouldn’t have taken too long.” said the friend. “Well, I had to toss it 35 times.” (Selections from net) 

“If you are determined in going in a certain direction, if you are bent on silencing the voice of God in your life, you know what God will do? He will step aside, and second your motion.” - Ravi Zacharias

Yes, sometimes some people choose their own way and try to make it appear like its God’s way. But, I Co 3:19 says: "God traps the wise in their cleverness."

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

GOD’S PROTECTION


John Paton, a missionary to the New Hebrides Islands, told of how one night hostile natives surrounded his mission’s headquarters, intent on burning the Patons out and killing them. He and his wife prayed through the entire night, and when daylight finally came, their attackers all left. A year later, the chief of the tribe became a Christian, and Paton asked the man about that night. The chief replied, “Who were all those men you had with you there?” The missionary explained only he and his wife were there. The chief insisted he had seen hundreds of big men with shining garments and swords circling the mission headquarters, so the natives were afraid to attack. - Billy Graham in his book, 'Angels, God’s Secret Agents'.


Psalms 34:7 says: “The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.”

Psalms 91:11 says: “God will command his angels to protect you wherever you go.”

Friday, March 14, 2014

THE PSALM OF A SLAVE


The Booze is my shepherd, I shall always want.

He maketh me to lie down in the gutters. He leadeth me beside the troubled waters.

He destroyeth my soul ;even as he leadeth me in the paths of senselessness for its brand-name’s sake. - (Selected and modified).

“Do not get drunk with wine, which will only ruin you… (Eph 5:18).

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Comments of the Presidents of USA


“It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and Bible.” - George Washington.

“I am busily engaged in the study of the Bible. I believe it is God’s word because it finds me where I am. I believe the Bible is the best gift God has ever given to man. All the good of the Savior of the world is communicated to us through the Book.” - Abraham Lincoln.

“When you have read the Bible, you know it is the Word of God, because it is the key to your heart, your own happiness, and your own duty.” - Woodrow Wilson.

“A thorough understanding of the Bible is better than a college education.” - Theodore Roosevelt.

“Of the many influences that have shaped the United States into a distinctive nation and people, none may be said to be more fundamental and enduring than the Bible.” - Ronald Reagan.

Finally, Psalmist declared: “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” (Psa 119:105).

Sunday, March 9, 2014

RESPONSIBILITY


“The most important thought that ever occupied my mind is that of my individual responsibility to God.” - Daniel Webster.

“The greatest day in your life and mine is when we take total responsibility for our attitudes. That's the day we truly grow up.” – John C. Maxwell.

“Jesus did not die on the cross just so we could live comfortable, well adjusted lives. His purpose is far deeper: He wants to make us like Himself before He takes us to heaven. This is our greatest privilege, our immediate responsibility, and our ultimate destiny.” - Rick Warren.

“Every person is responsible for all the good within the scope of his abilities, and for no more.” - Gail Hamilton.

“Responsibility is my response to God’s ability.” – Corrie ten Boom.

Gal 6:5 says: “For we are each responsible for our own conduct.”

A Sincere Question....


Billy Graham was once asked, “If Christianity is valid, why is there so much evil in the world? He replied, “With so much soap around, why are there so many dirty people in the world? Christianity, like soap, must be personally applied if it is to make a difference in our lives.”

2 Cor 5:17 says: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new.”

Do you have this kind of a life-changing testimony? If not, ‘work out your salvation with fear & trembling” (Phil 2:12).

“How else but through a broken heart may Lord Jesus enter in.” – Oscar Wilde.

Thursday, March 6, 2014

REBELLION


One account of the TITANIC ship says that a ship close by warned six times that they were headed for an iceberg and would sink. On the sixth time, the Captain of the Titanic signaled back, “Shut up, I am busy.” That is what, many times, we tell God and the preacher, “Leave me alone, I know what to do.”

“There are two kinds of people: those who say to God, “Thy will be done,” and those to whom God says, “All right, then, have it your way.” –CS Lewis.

“It is possible to miss God’s perfect will for our lives through carelessness or disobedience.” –Zac Poonen.

“An evil man seeks only rebellion, and a cruel messenger will be sent against him.” – Pro 17:11.

The Lord says in Jer 7:23, ‘Listen to my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people; and walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.’

MOODY


D. L. Moody (1837-1899), American Evangelist’s interactions: Moody once asked a man, “Sir, are you a Christian?” “Mind your own business.” was the reply. “This is my business.” Moody said.

Moody was  asked, “How many converts did you have last night?” He said, ‘Two and a half.” “You mean two adults & one child?” “No,” he replied. “Two children and one adult.” A child converted is an entire life converted.

A drunkard once met Moody and said, “I am one of your converts.” Moody replied, “That must be true, for you aren’t the Lord’s.”

1 Cor 6:9-10 says: “Do not fool yourselves; people who are immoral or who worship idols or are adulterers or homosexual perverts or who steal or are greedy or are DRUNKARDS or who slander others or are thieves – none of these will possess God’s kingdom.”

Sunday, March 2, 2014

TRIALS


“An optimist sees an opportunity in every calamity; a pessimist sees a calamity in every opportunity.”

“A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.” – William Shedd.

“Great trials prepare for great service.” “If you brood over your troubles, you will have a perfect hatch.”

Psalms 34:19 says: “Many are the afflictions of the righteous; but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.”

Romans 8:28 says: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

GOD'S WORD


The BIBLE:

-addresses all issues of life.
-has been translated into 2000 languages (in part/whole).
-can be read aloud in about 70 hours.
-has been world’s best-selling book and the most shop lifted book in the world.

Some common expressions like: ‘Spare the rod, spoil the child.’, ‘Love of money is the root of all evil.’ originate from the Bible.

The shortest verse in the Bible is “Jesus wept.” (John 11:35).

After Johann Gutenberg (German goldsmith) invented printing press around 1450 AD, the first book that was printed was the Bible in Latin.

Somebody once figured out that there are 35 million laws trying to enforce the Ten Commandments.

The Bible is said to be a ‘Talking Book.’ Read and find out what it has to tell you today.